As the dust settled, a shimmering object floated in the air where the creature’s core had been. It radiated an eerie, pale-blue light, pulsating faintly like a heartbeat.
"This is an Abyssal Bead," Marian said, her voice filled with excitement.
"If one purifies it with the help of a high-level priest and consumes it, they can gain powerful magic or a skill related to their class. The best part is that those skills are incredibly effective against any evil-aligned existence!" Marian continued, her eyes glinting with enthusiasm.
Leon studied the bead for a moment before speaking calmly. "Hmm, but this is also the key to the last floor."
The group collectively froze, stunned by the revelation.
"Huh?" Kara muttered, blinking in surprise. "No wonder the key to the last floor was never found—it was this Abyssal Bead all along. And here we were, using it recklessly every time!" She shook her head at the irony.
Leon nodded. "Anyway, what about this?" He gestured to the faintly glowing Dungeon Core from the first floor. Unlike ordinary rewards, it was said that segmented dungeons like this one left behind a core on each floor.
Absorbing the core granted one of two outcomes: 1 to 3 random skills or a randomly generated item.
"Captain, you should take it," Lyric said, looking at the others for confirmation.
"Yeah, you’ve earned it," Marian agreed, nodding firmly.
Leon shook his head. "It’s just the first floor. We’ve got nine more floors to clear, and each will reward us with a dungeon core. There are six of us, including me, but excluding Roselia since she’s my summon. That means we’ll all get two cores each by the end."
He paused, glancing around at the group. "So, who’s taking the first one?"
The group looked at one another, hesitant. Finally, Kara spoke up. "Captain, you should decide. You did the most work here."
Leon considered this, then smiled. "Let’s leave it to chance. We’ll draw lots."
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He took out five sticks and marked one of them. "Each of you pick a stick. Whoever gets the marked one takes the core."
One by one, the group drew their sticks. Kara went first, followed by Lyric, then Leon, Dren, and finally Marian. When the sticks were revealed, Kara held the marked one.
"Alright, Kara, it’s yours," Leon said with a small smile.
Kara hesitated for a moment before stepping forward. She reached out and touched the core.
[ Host donated a low rank Epic skill core ]
[Congratulations! You have gained an peak Epic Class Skill Core!]
Leon raised an eyebrow as the system announcement popped up in his mind. ’Hmm, it seems the system is calling it a Skill Core, not a Dungeon Core.’
[Host, these cores are technically sub-cores. They are fragments of the original Dungeon Core. When each floor is cleared, the sub-core transforms into either a Skill Core or an Item Core. This one turned into a Skill Core, which is why it provides random skills.]
Leon nodded thoughtfully. "I see. That makes sense."
Kara looked at the shimmering object now in her hands, her excitement barely contained. "Thank you, Captain!"
Leon smirked. "Don’t thank me just yet. Save your energy for the next floor. We’ve got nine more to go."
The group chuckled, their spirits high as they prepared to move forward.
"Come on, Kara. Absorb it!" Lyric encouraged with an eager grin.
Kara nodded, gripping the core tightly. A faint glow enveloped her, and the core dissolved into shimmering particles that sank into her skin.
"I gained two skills!" Kara exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement.
"Whoa, that’s lucky!" Dren said, clearly impressed. "Usually, one skill is the norm, but getting two? That’s like a three-out-of-ten outcome!"
"What skills did you get?" Lyric asked, leaning in with curiosity.
Dren frowned, shaking his head in disapproval. "That’s rude, Lyric. You shouldn’t ask for someone else’s skills like that."
But Kara waved off his concern with a smile. "It’s fine. I was going to share them with the captain anyway." She turned to Leon, who gave her a calm nod, signaling her to continue.
"Captain," Kara said proudly, "the first skill I gained is Repel Block. It allows me to absorb incoming damage and release it as a shockwave. The second one is Iron Will, a passive skill that grants me immunity to many status effects."
Leon smiled slightly, impressed by her luck. "Both are strong skills, especially for your class. Repel Block complements your defensive style, and Iron Will will help you resist manipulation and debilitating effects in tougher battles."
"Thank you, Captain!" Kara beamed, feeling validated by his words.
The rest of the group murmured their admiration, clearly thrilled by the powerful addition to their team’s arsenal.
"Well," Leon said, gesturing toward the path ahead. "Let’s not lose this momentum. Nine floors to go, and it’s only going to get tougher."
The group nodded, their resolve strengthened as they pressed onward, their eyes set on the challenges that awaited deeper in the dungeon.
The air grew heavier as they descended further into the dungeon. The faint luminescence of glowing moss on the walls was the only source of light, casting eerie shadows around them. Every step echoed ominously, a constant reminder that the deeper floors would not be as forgiving.
Leon led the group, his keen senses on high alert. He occasionally glanced at Cherry’s interface, monitoring their surroundings for traps or hidden enemies.
"Kara’s skills really boosted our chances," Lyric said, walking a few steps behind. "With her defensive abilities, we’ve got a better shot at surviving whatever comes next."
"True," Dren added. "But let’s not forget: the dungeon adapts. The next floor won’t be as straightforward."
"Straightforward?" Marian smirked, raising an eyebrow. "You call that boss straightforward? A shadow-water hybrid nearly crushed us back there!"
"Focus," Leon interjected, his tone calm but firm. "We can’t afford to get complacent. The dungeon’s core is intelligent—it learns from our actions and adjusts its tactics. Every floor will test us in new ways."
The group nodded, their banter subsiding as the gravity of Leon’s words sank in.